The "Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act of 2025" establishes a pilot program under the Department of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit entities for providing service dogs to eligible veterans with disabilities including blindness, mobility issues, PTSD, and other conditions. The bill outlines the application process for nonprofits, requirements for grant recipients, and the use of funds. It also emphasizes the humane treatment of animals, requires notification of funding sources to veterans, prohibits charging fees to veterans, and provides veterinary insurance. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is authorized to provide oversight, monitor the program, and offer training and technical assistance. The bill authorizes $10,000,000 annually for the pilot program.
Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act of 2025 or the SAVES Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a five-year pilot program to award grants on a competitive basis to nonprofit entities to provide service dogs to veterans who have certain disabilities, conditions, or diagnoses (e.g., a visual impairment).
Under the program, the VA may provide up to $2 million to a nonprofit entity in a fiscal year.
The VA must provide a veterinary insurance policy to veterans who receive a service dog through a grant under the program.